Until My Dying Day
by Sam Carter O'Neill
Summary: It's their seventh year and Lily and James move slowly down the path of fate...
1. For You To Notice

A/N: I don't have a great idea of where on earth this story is going, I'm just following it... it's kind of like when some one (like Sirius) calls you and says "Hello, ma'am, is your refrigerator running? " and you say "Well, yes I think so...?" and the person goes "well you better go catch it! " and then I run out the door, and follow it... even though I can't see it forget where it's going!... oh well, it's always at home whenever I get back...

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Chapter 1: For You To Notice  
  
James Potter, known to his three infamous friends as Prongs, sat alone in his house, in his room, on his windowsill. He was hugging his knees and looking out at the world. He didn't really know why, but whenever he couldn't sleep (which happened a lot recently) he would carry out this ritual. He would get out of the bed and watch everyone else sleep. It wasn't all that fascinating, watching dormant buildings and suburban plant life, but it helped. It helped him to think.  
  
Tonight happened to be the night before his return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and he only had about a million thoughts racing through his brain. It was to be the start of his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, and in ten months, he would be out in "the real world." He would have a career; he would have to be serious and stop screwing around all the time (as he usually did with the aforementioned friends), and mostly he was afraid. Of course, that was ten months away, but these had to be the ten months in which he prepared for that time... And that was only the beginning of his concerns. Another was that he was to be Head Boy. Head Boy was a big responsibility, and James wasn't all that confident that he was prepared for it. But, he reasoned with himself, if I'm not prepared for this, how will I ever be prepared to be an Auror? Ah, yet another worry. Amid those worries was another prominent one: there was a girl. Not just any girl, but a very pretty and very intelligent and very... okay, basically, he had the world's greatest crush on one of the world's most impossible girls. Her name: Lily Evans.  
  
James had had this "crush" on Lily since he first saw her (although he didn't recognize it in himself at first), but for some reason he didn't think he'd ever get her. She was a very serious, very intelligent muggle-born girl who could sometimes be... stubborn. She and James were friends, they were in the same house at school, but James figured that he had messed up his chances of ever going out with her, numerous times. It probably got the most screwed up when he first asked her to go out with him. He had been fifteen and he was nervous (boggarts were simple for James Potter, but Lily Evans made him sweat... big time). He was afraid of being turned down and afraid she would just think him some stupid prat if he'd asked her seriously... and plus there was Sirius, one of James' best friends, and he had this terrible effect on him of making him a complete prat. Of course, James's attempt to ask her out had the result of her thinking him an insufferable, arrogant, egotistical prick all the same. James, of course, had grown up since then, and he realized that he had, indeed been, an arrogant... well you get the idea. This summer, he and his friend Sirius had come off the childish pranks a bit and James was ready to be positively cavalier towards Lily. This was, after all, his last chance. Besides: James had a lot of things going for him this year...Lily was to be Head Girl (a lot of shared responsibilities), and James was going to try his very hardest to be nice to her. Okay, so maybe he only had two things going for him... but that's still better than none, am I right?  
  
James continued to stare out the window and watch the world sleep.

The Hogwarts Express was, as usual, overflowing with children, and James was sitting pensively in an empty compartment waiting for his friends to arrive. First came Sirius.  
  
"All right, mate?" Apparently he'd noticed the apprehension in James' face.  
  
"Ah, sure, sure! How was Diagon Alley?" Sirius stayed with the Potters a lot over the summer; he'd stayed in Daigon Alley the previous night, however, to get some extra school supplies (most likely meaning dung bombs and other prank supplies).  
  
"Ah! It was a blast! Should see the load of stuff I got!" he cackled in an evil fashion as Remus Lupin stepped into the compartment.  
  
"Hey Padfoot, Prongs!"  
  
"Moony! How's everything? Haven't seen you since last full moon!"  
  
"Ah, yeah, well I've been busy... That summer work was mad! Eleven rolls of parchment on the charms alone!"  
  
James smiled to himself as he was reminded of Lily—Charms being her best subject and all.

Sirius nodded his head dramatically in agreement "What was he thinking?! ELEVEN ROLLS? I've never written that much on anything before! Not even girls!"

James rolled his eyes... and Sirius spotted it. "Ah c'mon mate! What? You didn't think 11 rolls was insane?! I know you're Head Prat and all but..."

James scowled, "Well I rather like charms..."

"What my esteemed friend Prongs is trying not to say is that it's LILY's favorite subject!" Moony was always on top on things. James rather thought he should've been Head Pr— Boy.

James rolled his eyes again.

"Prongs, love, if you keep doing that YOUR BLOODY EYES'LL GET STUCK!!"

James shot a death glare to Sirius.

"Let me guess," started Remus. "This year Lily is going to realize that she's madly in love with you..."

"and agree to have tiny Jameseses and wittlle Wiwieseses? " continued Sirius, batting his eyelashes at James in a madly-in-love damsel-in-distress fashion.

James put on a false look of innocence, "Oh you jest!"

"Honestly, Prongs..."

James smiled in spite of himself. "No, I am serious this time."

After the hanging-Snape-upside-down stunt he and Sirius had pulled at the end of fifth year, Lily had really gotten her knickers in a bunch at James. They had, by NO stretch of the imagination, gotten along before then, but this incident had thrown Lily over the edge. She refused to even be in the same room as him. During classes in the beginning of sixth year, she sat as far as humanly possible away from James Potter. James had noticed he wasn't running into her so much but didn't really give it a second thought (since he was so busy with Quidditch and, well quite honestly, with himself). Then he and Lily were assigned to do a project together in Charms. They'd had to pick a very advanced charm and write... a lot about it. Their working together was not their decision, but Professor Flitwick's. When Lily found out they were working together, she begged Professor Lucas to change his mind. Charms was Lily's best and favorite subject. But since the professor needed a good, solid reason to change their being partners, and because Lily didn't want to rat anyone, even Potter, out, they worked together. What Lily hadn't known was that James had overheard Lily telling one of her friends her dilemma and her unwillingness to rat on him. James was shocked to hear her saying this—she was going to put up with this boy, who she **strongly disliked**, because of her morals. What had he ever done to her to justify her being really—nice to him?? So, James worked his best on the project.

One night, just as Lily was beginning to see a good side to James, they were supposed to meet in the library to finish the project. She waited for him for over an hour... he never showed up. That was IT! Lily stormed out of the library in a hurt rage. James Potter could never be trusted. Ever. Period. But on her way back to the common room, she saw a scene she wouldn't live to forget. Bruised and battered, James and Sirius were struggling down an empty corridor to the hospital wing, carrying on their shoulders an unconscious Serverus Snape. Lily couldn't believe her eyes to the extent that she refused to believe what she saw; she started yelling at James, "STUPID! USELESS! GOOD-FOR-NOTHING POTTER!!!!" But when the sight before her fully registered, she gasped, "oh my God!" Of course, she forgave James that night in the common room but James still hadn't been able to tell her the truth about what had happened that night. That night had been the night Sirius had told Snape the secret of the Whomping Willow and the night James had saved Snape's life. Two other things had happened that night, though. That night was also the night that Lily saw the side of James that she had been missing for the past 5 ½ years—the mature, caring, and un-Potter-like side... and yet she sort of always knew it was in there somewhere. This night was the night that James Potter acknowledged that he was in love with Lily Evans.

He had told his trusty Marauders that same night but they didn't really seem to understand. They were convinced that James would get over her in a month or so. But this was unlike any crush James had had before; Beyond any feeling he'd ever had. This was when he'd started the late-night window-sill sessions. And it changed him. He was still a Marauder... dung bombs and pranks... but he'd realized there were other people in the world; People smarter, wittier, and even better at Quidditch than he was.

As for the present, he was sitting with 2 of his best mates on the Hogwarts Express, heading to his final year of school and final chance to woo Lily Evans!

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A/N: In case you were wondering, when Sirius says "Wiwieseses" he's saying Lily three times the plural and in baby talk. Lol Oh, and reviews are a girl's best friend! Chapter 2 and 3 should be up soon... 3, Ella


	2. Home Sweet Home

**A/N: **Finally, I give you Chapter 2! SUPER THANKS to my beta, WHITEPAW!! What would I do without her?! CHECK OUT HER LILY/JAMES STORY CALLED Their Journey To Realization. Her pseudonym is whitepaw. Now, on with the sory!!!!

**Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home **

"Hey Potter."

James spun around at mention of his name.

"Oh hello, Evans! I was just about to come look for you..."

Sirius fake-coughed and the others sniggered to themselves.

James ignored them and turned to Lily.

"You're late," she prompted him.

"That's our fault, Lily. We were just, erm..." Peter tried to save for James.

"Telling James here not to--" Remus was interrupted by an outburst from Sirius.

"...Daydream about you in class so much!"

"NOT TO," Remus went to finish what he was saying. "be too hard on this GIT over here when he's Head Boy and can give him detention and all!!!" He directed this more towards Sirius, who gulped.

"RIGHT," said James, before his friends could 'help' him out anymore. He gently pushed Lily out of the compartment, turning to mouth "WHY?!" to the other Marauders.

Sirius was laughing audibly as Lily and James made their way into the prefects' car.

"What were they on about?" asked Lily (as if she didn't know).

"Well—I," James faltered. "I haven't the slightest clue... as far as I was concerned, we were talking about those Cannons! Somethin' else, eh?"

Lily appreciated Quidditch; as a muggle-born she found it fascinating. However it seemed every time she spoke with James about Quidditch, something happened. Last year, a few weeks after the Snape incident, she and the Marauders were celebrating Christmas. She and James were having a conversation about Quidditch and there was a loud CRASH—one of the first years staying for the holidays had managed to knock down a big Christmas tree and kill Lewis Demshaw's frog, Cadbury (Lewis was a muggle-born too).

"REMEMBER CADBURY!" warned Lily, not wanting to start a Quidditch conversation as they entered their car.

Lily and James debriefed the prefects and James held his tongue to keep from making snide remarks (which had been especially hard when dealing with Slytherins), to prove to Lily he could do this job.

They then patrolled the cars. They'd managed to stop one Hufflepuff girl from changing a Ravenclaw boy's robes bright pink, and help a third year Gryffiindor finish a tricky Transfiguration assignment from the summer. Now they were walking through a car composed mainly of frightened and unsorted first years.

"I heard you gotta take a test."

"Nuh-uh, I heard you gotta battle a giant troll!"

"There are really giant trolls?!"

"Duh, I mean I knew you're a muggle-born and all but geeze!"

"...so my summer," Lily was saying, "was fantastic."

"Was she really that bad?" asked James, tearing his ears from the conversations of the first years.

"Believe me, Potter; I am so happy Petunia moved away! She was always, I dunno—jealous I guess, of me. She always came over to me and whispered 'freak' whenever Mum wasn't listening."

"Did you ever get along with her?"

Lily sighed, "Yes. We used to get along quite famously...that is until Hogwarts. Before Hogwarts, I adored her. She used to take me to carnivals (you've learned about them in muggle studies?) and she'd win my toys every time we went. I still have them... I really miss that side of her; I need my big sister..."

James nodded, amazed at what a good conversation they were having: Lily was really opening up to him. "So, erm, what's this fella she married like?"

"He's a great prat named Vernon Dursley. He hates me too."

James was so shocked that two people could hate Lily Evans! One was her own **sister**! "What for?!"

"I dunno. I think it has something to do with this one time he was over for dinner... Petunia told him I went to some nutter school, **right** in front of me! And normally, I don't have a bad temper, but...let's just say: I didn't react too well to that."

"Oooh, how 'not too well?' Are we talking Marauder-style ramifications?"

"Well, actually, you'd've been proud!"

"You've definitely got my interest!"

"Picture Petunia, bony and sharp-features, in a white dress. Now picture a big punch bowl's contents being dumped on her."

"WOW! Hey, didn't you get a warning from the Ministry?"

"What for?"

"You know, underage magic and all?"

"Oh no," she smiled evilly. "There was no magic involved."

James beamed with pride.

Just then they were entering a car of some of the seventh year Gryffindors. A skinny one with dark hair and gold-rimmed glasses, Lewis Demshaw, was walking over to them.

"'E—'Ello, Lily!" James and Lily could both tell that he was nervous, stuttering like that.

"Hullo Lewis," greeted Lily.

"Alright, mate?" asked James.

"Oh, right, a'course!"

"And, erm, how were your holidays?" Lily asked.

"Oh they were wonderful!" he actually blushed. "I see ye've made Head, eh? Brilliant!" Give him some gold face paint and he could've been a Gryffindor mascot, he was blushing so much.

"Oh, why thank you, Lewis," said Lily.

"Cheers, Demmie!" winked James.

"Right," said Lewis, with finality. "See you at supper then!"

"Cheers!"

When they were out of earshot, James whispered, "supper??" to Lily.

"Oh, he's a very sweet boy!" she defended.

"You think?"

"...I feel bad for Cadbury!"

James smirked.

"What are you smirking at, Potter?"

"Oh, c'mon, Lily!"

"Honestly?!"

"He adores you!"

"What are you on about?" she said, turning her face away so he couldn't see she was blushing.

"Guy nature. A guy can tell when another guy likes a girl!"

"Lewis.Demshaw.Does.Not.Like.Me.!!"

"Hmm... you wait and see..."

"Hmph."

5 minutes later

"So, where're you and Demmie having the wedding?" James questioned, in a mock serious tone.

"Well," if ya can't beat 'em... "You should've seen this place my sister's wedding was!"

"Where's that?"

"Hawaii!"

"Hawaii? Expensive tastes, I see... well, I have always wanted to go there..."

"Well, as long as I have my Lewie-poo!" Lily put her head to her side, her two hands over her heart, and sighed.

James stuck his tongue out at her as the Hogwarts Express came to a stop at Hogsmeade station. A very broad smile came to Lily as she took in the sight.

"Ah!" she breathed, as she and James stepped out of the train.

"Home sweet home..."

A/N: So, how'd ya like it?? It gets better, I promise! I'm actually up to chapter 4 at the moment but it's written down on looseleaf and I'm too lazy to type... Reviews will make me type faster!!!!! :-P Just Playing. Love, Ella


	3. Last First Day

**Chapter 3: Last First Day**

James and Lily seated all the students as they came into the Great Hall before they took their own seats, beside their friends—the other Marauders, Lewis Demshaw, and two others: Summer and Jesse Robins.

Summer was a tall, really rather pretty dirty-blonde girl. Personality-wise, she seemed to always be on some form of rush—either from sugar or coffee, and yet she was very intelligent and knew when to be serious.

Jesse was Summer's twin sister. She was also dirty-blonde but she wasn't as skinny as her twin. She also had shorter hair. Jesse was a barrel of laughs and she knew how to have fun. Her rush, though, was from chocolate.

"Hey guys! We missed you on the train," greeted Summer. "Where were you?"

"We were patrolling," answered Lily.

"ahem, sure... patrolling," Jesse winked at her sister.

At that moment, the first years came into the Great Hall, led by Professor McGonagall. Their short young bodies were trembling as they made their way down the center of the long hall towards the stool where the Sorting Hat sat. They stared in awe at the bewitched ceiling and at the faces of the older students. They formed a sloppy line as the professor called out their names. Gryffindor got the most new members, followed closely by Slytherin, then Ravenclaw, and then Hufflefuff.

After the last kid was sorted (Zebrezny, Martha into Slytherin),Dumbledore cleared his throat and stepped up to a podium. "Welcome, welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Cheers, clapping, and the buzz of excited chatter filled the Great Hall. "I have a few announcements. Our caretaker, Mr. Argus Filch, feels it necessary for me to again point out that he has posted the (very long) list of forbidden items on his office door." The Marauders sniggered evilly as they knew that they had been very much a part of this. "Secondly," Dumbledore continued, "I would like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is very much forbidden. Thirdly, last year's Dark Arts professor, Professor Jones, has retired due to the birth of his wife's new baby, Karina. Lastly, this is Professor Isaac Lucas. He will be taking over for Professor Jones." A chubby man about the height of a first-year stood up. He had a receding hairline and robes which were entirely too long for his short body. He looked into the students' faces with intimidation and a stern look on his face. Perhaps he would have been more intimidating if he wasn't so short.

"Now," continued Dumbledore, "let the feast begin!"

They all stuffed their faces until they could barely lift their spoons to shove more trifle or ice cream or pie or... all of the above, down their throats. Then it was time for Lily and James to lead the prefects and the younger students to the common room.

As they walked the Gyrffindors to their common room, they imparted pearls of wisdom about the castle upon them. James would say, "and this is the shortcut to take when you're late for -------- class!" then Lily would give him an admonishing glance and say something to the effect of, "and this is a painting of Merlin... yes, he is moving!"

"Password?" asked a painting of an old blacksmith working on an anvil, once they reached the common room.

"Red Ink Quill," a 5th year prefect named Hannah Crance announced with a sense of pride.

"Right then," said the blacksmith. "All these people with you???"

"No, Lunce, they followed us from Kings Cross!" Sirius said, rolling his eyes, "they got their robes from the new professor—Commander Bun Bun!" He added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lunce ignored Sirius and looked down at his work as he moved aside to let them in.

"Bloody git..." breathed Sirius as they climbed through the portrait hole. He plopped himself into a sofa beside Remus, Peter, Jesse, and Summer and began telling them about his confusion with "the female species."

"We are not a separate species," Summer laughed.

"Yeah, men are!" Jesse snorted.

James and Lily meanwhile, couldn't have felt more relieved as they plopped themselves into the two armchairs nearest the fireplace.

Lily yawned.

"I'm exhausted," said James. "I hope that being the Heads isn't this exhausting all the time."

"Hmmm," said Lily quietly. She was resting her head on her elbow and was being hypnotized by the dance of the flames in the fireplace. They were quiet for about ten minutes.

"I'm going to bed before I actually fall asleep!" James said as he jumped from the chair.

There was no response.

"Evans?" He looked over to see Lily fast asleep in her chair; her red hair falling gracefully across her face.

"Hey, c'mon, mate!" called Sirius from the stairway to the boys' dormitory, "Time for some prank-planning!"

"Sure!" James called back. "Give me two minutes, eh?" He went over to where Lily was sleeping. "Evans?" he beckoned, "E-e-evans???"

Lily slowly opened her eyes and inhaled. "Oh," she said, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I must've fallen asleep. Thanks for waking me." She got up. "Well, g'nite, Potter!"

"'Night," he watched her as she walked away.

"C'mon, Prongs. Padfoot says he'll have the Purple Penguin King after you if you don't get up here," said Remus from the top of the staircase.

James smiled and rolled his eyes. "Alright Moony, I'm coming."

"Hey, Potter?"

James turned and looked up to see Lily at the top of the girls' staircase.

"Thanks," she said.

"For what, Evans?"

She shrugged, "For being... good today."

He smiled and looked at the floor, "no problem."

"'Night, Potter."

"'Night Evans."

"Mister Potter?"

James looked up suddenly, "GEORGE WASHINGTON!!!" he exclaimed victoriously. The muggle-borns in the classroom giggled quietly.

"Who?" Professor Flitwick cocked his head to one side and gave James a confused look.

"Erm... I'm actually not so sure..."

"Your paper, Mr. Potter. Where is it?" The tiny professor was standing in front of James' desk.

"Oh, right!" He fished around in his bag. "Here you are," one by one, he stacked twelve rolls of parchment into Flitwick's outstretched arms.

"Next time," he poked his head from around the high stack of parchment in his arms to look at James, "do your sleeping in your dormitory instead of my class, please." The bell rang. "If you haven't handed in your assignments..."

James got up lazily and walked over to Sirius, whose head was still on his desk. James pulled out his wand and made a loud "BOOM!" next to his ear. "WAKEY, WAKEY! EGGS AND BACIE!!!!"

Sirius rubbed his ears ("ow!") and looked up at James. "I was having such a good dream, too..."

"Yeah, yeah, c'mon, let's go" said James, pulling his one of his best mates to his feet, "it's lunch time!"

"Woo hoo! Yeah LUNCH!" He perked up suddenly and ran out of the classroom shouting to James, "last one there's Bellatrix's date!"

"...so then this Ravenclaw, Sandra, I think goes, 'well if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were _coming on_ to me!' and Peter here goes, 'and you're in **Ravenclaw**?!'" First day back and already Jesse and Summer were sharing the gossip.

"I know! All you said was, 'can I borrow a quill?'"

"Did anyone have Potions or Defense yet?" Remus asked.

"Oh, I did... I had Potions," answered Lewis.

"And...?"

"Pray you didn't forget a.single.thing. over the summer."

James sighed deeply.

"Oh joy," said Sirius, creating a small spark with his wand in mock celebration.

"Urgh!" groaned Remus. "We've got double advanced NEWT potions followed directly by double advanced NEWT Defense!"

There was a collective sigh as the friends got up and gathered their things.

Professor Taylor, the potions' master, had some form of stick up his arse as usual; they'd been assigned 4 rolls of work over the next week in his class.

Professor Isaac Lucas, as it were, had been an auror. Had been. He said he'd quit but James and the other marauders couldn't figure out why someone would willingly **quit** what was quite possibly the best job in the wizarding world. Presently, they all sat in the classroom listening to the short, chubby professor.

"...I must tell you...YOU, as young wizards preparing to enter the real wizarding world—the dark and dangerous one—you must know."

Sirius sighed in boredom, his head propped up against his right hand.

"There is a threat rising against our world and quite possibly the muggle one. A new and most powerful force will arise—" The professor stopped as he saw Summer's hand shoot up.

"Erm, excuse me professor, but—with all due respect—this is Defense Against the Dark Arts, not Divination."

The class sniggered quietly.

"Ms. Robins, are you doubting that there is even a grain of truth coming from the mouth of a retired Auror? One who has seen the evil lying dormant that **will** awaken. That has perhaps has already awakened?!"

Summer looked down at her desk in defeat.

"So you've seen it then, eh?" challenged Sirius.

"I have."

"So, why, if this so-called 'threat' is so 'real'... why are you not out there right now fighting to protect everyone— why are you not out there doing your job?" He asked coolly.

"But I **am** doing my job! Don't you see? Educ—"

"You QUIT your job... ... ... professor"

There was an awkward silence as the tension in the room mounted to the point where you could've cut through it with a knife.

"Educating you—you who are smarter, younger, faster, and altogether more capable than me, is my job now."

**A/N: **

**To ****BulmaXVegetafan001** thank you SO much for reviewing! Keep reading and tell all your friends wink gives you cookies

**To Whitepaw:** Thanks for your reviews, your support, and mostly your beta-reading! If it wasn't for you, this story wouldn't have happened! I'd give you cookies but then you'd get really really really hyper....oh forget it! gives you pixie-sticks and cookies

**To thecounter:** You're a coward. If you have something to say to me, don't make it so that I can't even defend my honor.

Ahem Right so see you next chapter! ;-)


	4. Whispers of a Nameless Fear

**Chapter 4: Whispers of a Nameless Fear**

James took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Remind me—why are we here?"

He, the other Marauders and Lily were in the common room three weeks into the school year. It was about 1am on a Friday night. James was making some plans for an upcoming Quidditch match (versus Slytherin), Peter and Sirius were playing a game of exploding snap, and Remus was playing Lily at wizards' chess.

"'Cause we can't or otherwise choose not to go to sleep," Sirius answered smartly.

"You know, call me crazy," said Remus, "but I think we're all a little affected by Professor Loopy."

"You're not a professor, Moony." Sirius smirked.

" Not me, you twit," Remus smacked him across the head. "Lucas!"

"Oh, you mean Professor 'We're-All-Going-To-Die'?" Said Peter, waving his hands and rolling his eyes.

"You may have a point, Rem," Lily said as one of her knights smashed one of Remus's .

"He's been teaching us the unforgivable curses for the past three weeks for crying out loud!" James replaced his glasses.

"You know what we need?" Sirius said pointedly.

"A pick-me-up!" Remus said, catching on.

"A cup of coffee," mused Lily.

"I'll get my cloak!" James said as he rushed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

"I'll get the map!" Sirius said, following James.

"I'll get my shopping list!" said Peter, dashing behind Sirius.

"I'll stay really CONFUSED!!" Lily yelled after them.

"I'll ...explain all this to Lily."

"All what??"

"All right Lily, you must promise not to disclose this information to anyone! This is a Marauders' secret."

"Oooh, okay!" Said Lily, half-excited and half wondering of she really wanted to know.

" Yeah, well okay: a few years ago, we created this map—NO QUESTIONS—now this map shows exactly where everyone in Hogwarts is and more importantly all of the exits of the castle."

"But... how?!" Asked Lily, almost speechless.

" 'No questions' darling! So, up for a visit to Hogsmeade?"

"This is a bad idea! This is a bad idea! This is a BAD IDEA!!" Lily whined.

"HUSH!"

The five friends were traveling to Hogsmeade via the dark 1-hump witch passageway.

"Ouch! SIRIUS! Watch it!"

"Ow! Oh, mate!! That was my... erm... my wand!!"

"That is SO much more than I wanted to know!" Lily laughed a little.

"Sorry, love."

"Shut up Sirius!!" they all said in unison.

"...how long is this?"

"Just keep walking,"

"Here I come, butterbeer!"

The door to Honeydukes' cellar swung open and they climbed out.

"Woah," Lily said, looking around.

"Cool, eh?"

They walked quietly up the creaky wooden staircase until they came to the door.

"Alohamora!" And with that there was a click as the door swung open.

"Ah! Fresh air!"

"We've missed you so, Hogsmeade!"

"Sure have!"

"We are going to get in SO MUCH trouble!" Lily panicked as she finally realized that they were in Hogsmeade village.

"Realx." James said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "we COULD get in a LOT of trouble, I mean being Head Boy and Girl and all..." He felt her tense under his firm grip. "But we won't," he said quickly.

Lily took a deep breath, taking some reassurance from the fact that at least she wasn't there alone. She followed the others in the direction of the new pub called "The Three Broomsticks." There they took a table in a dark corner in the back. They further concealed themselves by pulling their hoods over their heads.

"Can I get ye fellas anythin?" asked a pretty young witch.

"5 butterbeers please."

"Comin' right up."

"How long have you been violating numerous school rules and perhaps a few ministry rules by coming here, for?" asked Lily.

"Eh, about..."

"twice a month"

"since...what, Prongs?"

"Third year!" he answered proudly.

Lily nearly spat out the butterbeer that had just been placed in front of her. "THIRD?! And you've never been caught?!"

"Well we almost did get caught...In fifth year...but it was by Professor Jackson who didn't teach us at the time, so we pretended we were from Cambodia and that we didn't speak English." Sirius explained.

"and then this other time—"

"Hush! Look!" Peter beckoned towards the entrance to the pub.

"Who is it??" asked Lily with urgency, too afraid to turn and see—

"McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and... Lucas."

"What in bloody hell're THEY doing here?!" Sirius asked, lowering his head as the teachers and very headmaster of Hogwarts took their seats at a booth directly adjacent to their own.

"I'd say coming in for a drink..." James said smoothly.

"Hush, listen!"

"You're such a nosy rat, Peter!"

"Just LISTEN!"

"...In Slytherin, he was," Dumbledore's soft and powerful voice.

"Pretty good student, too," said McGonagall.

"So, you're saying he's really into all that...trouble-making?" asked Flitwick nervously.

"No, sir. 'Trouble-making' is what your students do. What this one does is evil," Lucas said seriously.

"Evil? He couldn't be evil..." Flitwick gulped.

"He always took issue with the non-pure-bloods," said Dumbledore.

"But... Isn't he, himself—"

"Yes. That's why he changed his name." Dumbledore explained.

"Poor Tom... So you _know_ he wants to...hurt the ones that aren't pure?"

"And the worst part is he says he'll hurt muggles; innocent, defenseless muggles!"

"That's not the worst part. The worst part is that he has followers."

"Of course, like the Malfoys, the Notts, the Blacks, the Averys... they're shady, they are."

"You really think this he's going to be a major problem?" asked Flitwick.

"No, professor. I know," responded Lucas.

"When he—they—when they do rise to power, our only hope lies in the next generation..." Dumbledore said.

"There are many brilliant minds in that generation." Flitwick said hopefully.

"But," Lucas added, "not all will use their powers for good."

There was a long pause during which the people involved in and listening to the conversation were deep in thought.

"Let's get out of here," Remus said, putting his money on the table.

"Yeah. Shrieking shack?" Sirius put his money on the table too."

Peter and James nodded in agreement and disappeared with a POP!

"C'mon, Lily," Remus said reassuringly as he, Sirius, and Lily disappeared.

"What was that all about?" Sirius thought out loud.

"I...don't know. Something about muggles." Peter answered as he left the room.

"Muggles being _attacked_." Lily said in a daze.

"An evil wizard," Remus said, "with followers."

"Yeah, followers like my famiy..." Sirius said, his tone changing.

"Don't worry, mate. You're not like them." Said James comfortingly.

"Still—I wish I could... I wish I could stop them... You heard Dumbledore! 'When they rise to power, our only hope lies in the nest generation...'"

"Oh Merlin," said James, "that's us!"

Just as James spoke, there was a crash from what Lily assumed was as the kitchen.

"I'M ALRIGHT!" Peter's voice called from the room, "Just dropped a glass."

"God help us all," Sirius said sarcastically.

They all smiled as Peter came back carrying 5 shot glasses and a rather large bottle of firewhiskey.

"Their hope lies in us," Lily said, getting back to the conversation. "Our hope lies in us... the future, the—"

"Their hope lies in good hands," said Remus, raising an enigmatic eyebrow.

"hm...well we're not going to have much of a future when they find out we're in the shrieking shack, on an un-school-authorized trip to Hogsmeade, drinking firewhiskey... heh..." She smiled to herself then gasped, finally coming to the realization of their reality. "OHMYGOSH!"

"Lily..." Remus warned.

Lily was now hyperventilating, "do you realize this is the most haunted building in Britain and—and—do you have any idea how much trouble we're going to be in?!"

"Don't worry, Evans!" James said, "we're professionals."

"So much for the future..." Sirius smirked.

"It is getting rather late." Said Remus.

"We should go," said Peter, going back into the kitchen.

"Oh thank Merlin!!" Lily said, getting to her feet.

"Okay..." said James, "but first—let's make a promise."

"A promise?" asked Peter, coming back.

"Okay Jamesie, I pwomise I won't cheat on you anymore!"

"Shut up Sirius," Remus rollled his eyes.

"Seriously, Lily's right. We all heard Dumbledore. It's up to us." They were silent as the mood had suddenly changed from worrying whether they were going to get caught, back to worrying about the fate of the future. "Let's make a promise... to defend our world."

"To defend the defenseless." Lily added.

"To not let evil devour the world." Remus said.

"No matter the cost." Said Sirius.

"and to stay on the right side of the war." James said. "No matter the cost."

"A promise." Agreed Lily, Remus, Sirius, and Peter.

****

**Author scowls at the idea of Peter and laughs at the fact that there should really be cheesy Justice League music playing in the background. Heehee. Sorry about the cheesy-ness!! **

**THANK YOU to all my reviewers! And thanks for being so patient with me! Next chapter should be up soon.**

**To whitepaw: This is dedicated to you—this whole story—because without your incessant bugging me, I wouldn't have gotten this written at all. Thanks 33333**


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